Multimedia content display system having scheduling function and method of reproducing content using the system

Abstract

A multimedia content display system is provided having a scheduling function, as well as a method of reproducing content using the system. The system includes a server which transmits designated content to a corresponding client at a designated time based on schedule information of the corresponding client, and one or more clients which receive the designated content from the server and reproduce the content. Accordingly, content can be designated for a particular month, day, and time such that designated content can be reproduced at a designated time and, thus, a server can efficiently manage a plurality of display devices.

1 . A multimedia content display system comprising: 
 at least one client; and    a server which transmits designated content to the client at a designated time based on schedule information of the client,    wherein the client receives the designated content from the server and reproduces the designated content.    
   
   
       2 . The multimedia content display system of  claim 1 , wherein the server comprises a schedule organizer which registers or edits the schedule information of the client using a schedule database.  
   
   
       3 . The multimedia content display system of  claim 2 , wherein the server comprises a scheduler which controls the server to transmit the designated content to the client at the designated time based on the schedule information created, registered, or edited by the schedule organizer.  
   
   
       4 . The multimedia content display system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one client comprises a user interface by which a user can directly select the designated content to be reproduced, wherein the client reproduces the designated content based on the schedule information, and further comprises a user interface by which a user can directly select desired content to be reproduced.  
   
   
       5 . A server connected to a plurality of clients which reproduce multimedia content, the server comprising: 
 a content and schedule selector which designates content to be reproduced and designates a time to reproduce the designated content differently for each of the plurality of clients, as schedule information;    a content provider which transmits the designated content to at least one client among the plurality of clients at a designated time based on the schedule information of each of the plurality of clients.    
   
   
       6 . A plurality of clients connected to a server which stores schedule information regarding designated content to be reproduced and a designated time to reproduce the content for each of the clients, each of the clients comprising: 
 a content receiver which receives designated content from the server at the designated time; and    an audio/video (AV) decoder which reproduces the designated content.    
   
   
       7 . A method of reproducing multimedia content, the method comprising: 
 reading schedule information of at least one client which reproduces multimedia content, wherein the schedule information indicates designated content to be reproduced and a designated time to reproduce the content;    reading the designated content at the designated time based on the read schedule information; and    transmitting the designated content which is read to the client at the designated time and reproducing the transmitted content.    
   
   
       8 . The multimedia content display system according to  claim 1 , wherein the server designates content to be reproduced and designates a time to reproduce the designated content independently for each of a plurality of clients.  
   
   
       9 . The server of  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 a schedule database which stores the designated content and the schedule information; and    a scheduler which controls each of the clients so as to reproduce the designated content at the designated time based on information stored in the schedule database.    
   
   
       10 . The server according to  claim 9  further comprising a content database which stores multimedia content that is provided to the at least one client.  
   
   
       11 . The server according to  claim 9  wherein the scheduler controls each of the clients independently to reproduce the designated content at the designated time or times based on information stored in the schedule database  
   
   
       12 . The server according to  claim 9  further comprising a node monitor which monitors the status of the clients.  
   
   
       13 . The server according to  claim 9  further comprising a node control which remotely controls the status of the clients.